Safety helmet sizing band



p 9,1969 D. F. RANEY 3,465,363

SAFETY HELMET SIZING BAND Filed July 1. 1968 INVENTOR DENNIS F RANEY BY(1% flr-rnm,

ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,465,363 SAFETY HELMET SIZING BANDDennis F. Raney, Detroit, Mich., assignor to American Safety EquipmentCorporation of Michigan, Oak Park,

Mich.

Filed July 1, 1968, Ser. No. 741,477 Int. Cl. A42b 1 08, 1/22 US. C].2-3 8 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE stretchable cloth-like materialhaving one end stretched around the outer periphery of the band andfastened to the shell lower edge, with the tube bent around the band andinto the shell to thereby elastically hold the band in position. Thus,the band may be removed for replacement by a different thickness bandfor sizing purposes. The band is formed of an elongated strip whichtends to radially expand the band circumference. Hence, the band mayfrictionally secure the shell within a hard outer shell placed over theabove mentioned shell.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION This invention relates to an improvement insizing bands used in safety helmets of the type illustrated in US.Patent 3,213,463 granted Oct. 26, 1965, to Marchello. For porperlysizing the helmet to the wearers head a thick, resilient band isarranged within the helmet shell with the band being replaceable bybands of different thickness.

The Marchello type of sizing band described above, has a limitedcapacity to absorb impact shocks or energy, is relatively expensive tomanufacture because of the need for cutting and trimming the head bandto proper sizes and, if the helmet is not properly cared for or isabused, will tend to dislodge from its proper use position. Hence, theinvention herein is concerned with forming an improved sizing band whichwill more positively stay in position, which can be more inexpensivelyformed and which may also function to lock the inner shell to the outershell of a safety helmet.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION The invention herein contemplates forming a sizingor head band out of a lamination of two types of resilient plasticmaterials, the outer one being firm and the inner one being more highlyresilient and deformable. The band is located beneath the lower edge ofa helmet shell and is secured thereto by means of an elasticallystretchable cloth tube. The tube has an end which is stretched toencircle the periphery of the head band and is secured to the shellabove the head band, and then is bent or Wrapped around the lower andinner edges of the band and placed within the helmet shell where itfunctions as a liner. The tendency of the tube material to elasticallycontract, holds the head band in proper position at the lower edge ofthe shell.

For proper sizing of a helmet, the tube may be pulled out of the helmet,the head band removed and replaced with a different thickness band oreven trimmed and reused, where a larger size is required. Since the bandtends to expand radially, it may function as a means for locking theinner shell within the outer shell of a helmet. By proper selection ofthe band material, it will function to absorb impact shocks to therebybetter protect the wearers head, as well as size the helmet to his head.

3,465,353 Patented Sept. 9, 1969 Thus, an object of this invention is toprovide a removable and replaceable head band which is secured to thelower end of a helmet shell by means of a tube-like stretchable clothmaterial which can be manipulated so as to easily remove and replace theband, but which at the same time retains the band solidly in position,thereby simplifying and lowering the cost of such type head hand.

These and further objects and advantages of this invention will becomeapparent upon reading the following description, of which the attacheddrawings form a part.

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional elevational view ofa helmet illustrating the invention herein.

FIG. 2 is an elevational View, partially in cross-section, of the innershell of the helmet with a cloth tube extending downwardly therefrom,before complete assembly.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary, cross-sectional view of a portion ofthe inner shell, cloth tube, and sizing band.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION FIG. 1 illustrates a safety helmet 10 formed with ahard outer shell 11 and a thinner and semi-flexible inner shell 12 whoselower edge is outwardly bent at 13 and extends radially outwardly intoan edge flange 14. The two shells are spaced apart for containingbetween them a liner of energy absorbing material 15. The lower edge ofthe outer shell is provided with a rubber-like edge head 16.

The outer shell 11 may be formed of a glass fiber reinforced resin. Theliner 15 may be formed of a foamed polystyrene which is characterized bybeing resiliently compressible under impact or pressure and having arelatively slow recovery rate to return to substantially its originalshape for thereby absorbing the energy of impact. The inner shell may bemade of any suitable plastic material which is relatively stiff buttends to flex under pressure of impact.

The foregoing description of a helmet forms no part of the inventionhereof and hence no greater detail is given here. For example, the abovementioned Marchello patent shows such a type helmet construction.

The invention hereof relates to the sizing or head band 20, which asshown in FIG. 3, is preferably formed of two elongated strips, namely anouter strip 21 and an inner strip 22. Preferably, the outer strip ismade of a resilient, but relatively firm plastic material which therebyis relatively stiff and suitable for energy absorption. The inner strip22, which is taller than the outer strip 21, and is secured thereto byadhesive 23, is preferably made of a more resilient, much softer, lessdense material. For example, both strips may be made of foamedpolyvinylchloride of different densities or of other suitable foamedplastics.

The composite band 20 is preferably made in a single long strip which isthen bent around and positioned beneath the lower edge flange 14 of theinner shell 12, with the opposite-ends of the band simply abutting at24, but not being otherwise connected together.

A tube 25 formed of an elastically stretchable cloth is used to securethe band to the shell. As an example of such type cloth, FIG. 3illustrates a cloth formed of an outer layer of a nylon woven jerseymaterial 26 laminated to a lining 27 of polyurethene foam ofapproximately ,4 of an inch thickness. Other suitable elastic materialsmay also be used.

The tube 25 initially has a diameter considerably less than thecross-sectional size of the opening defined by the lower edge of theinner shell. Hence, as shown in FIG. 2, the upper end 28 of the tube isstretched around the outer periphery of the band and is then turned overand secured to the top surface of the flange 14 by means of a suitableadhesive 29. In this way, the band tends to elastically contract tothereby surround and hold the outer periphery and lower edge of the band25.

The lower or main body portion 30 of the tube is then bent or wrappedaround the bottom of the band and the inner wall surface of the band ispositioned against the inner surface of the inner shell, as indicated bythe arrows and dotted lines in FIG. 2. The tube tends to elasticallyconform to the inner wall surface to thereby form an inner liner which,if formed of the laminate mentioned above, will provide for more comfortand better fit for the wearer.

When bent inside the shell the opposite, open end 31 of the tube islocated near the crown or upper portion of the shell. In this type ofhelmet, it is conventional to provide a crown pad 32, which may be madeof an envelope 33, formed of plastic sheet, containing a resilient foamplastic filler 34, with the envelope secured to the shell by means of asuitable tie cord 35. An example of such a pad is illustrated in U.S.Patent No. 3,365,725, granted Jan. 30, 1968, to Webb.

The portion of the tube near the opening 31 may be tucked between thecrown pad 32 and the inner shell to thereby neatly keep it in place andto improve appearance.

Preferably, the upper edge of the outer shell edge band 16 forms aninwardly directed shoulder 36 so that the band is slightly compressedbetween the shoulder 36 and the inner shell flange 14. As illustrated inFIG. 1, the outer strip 21 is located beneath the flange 14 whereby theinner strip 22 is deformed and pressed against the bent portion 13 ofthe inner shell to widen the band for better and more comfortable fit.

Because the outer strip 21 of the band 20 is firmer and stiffer it tendsto straighten out the entire hand back to its original straight shape.This plus the slight compression of the band between the flange 14 andthe shoulder 36 provides an outwardly directed pressure by the outerstrip 21 against the interior of the outer shell 11 to frictionallysecure the inner shell within the outer shell.

OPERATION In operation, once the helmet is assembled as illustrated inthe drawings, its size may be adjusted by pulling the tube 25 downwardlyinto the FIG. 2 position, pulling the band out, and replacing it withanother band of an increased or decreased thickness, as needed.Thereafter, the tube may be bent back within the shell. Hence, an easilyremovable, inexpensive sizing band is provided which functions tocomfortably conform to the size and contours of the head, absorb impactenergy, and help to secure the parts of the helmet together.

This invention may be further developed within the scope of thefollowing claims. Accordingly, it is desired that the foregoingdescription be read as being merely illustrative of an operativeembodiment of this invention and not in a strictly limited sense.

Having fully described an operative embodiment of this invention, I nowclaim:

1. In a safety helmet formed of a shell having a lower edge, areplaceable sizing band comprising:

an elongated, resilient, relatively thick band extending around thecircumference of, beneath and in contact with the lower edge of theshell;

a tube formed of elastically stretchable cloth-like material, andinitially of a diameter considerably less than the cross-sectionaldistances of the opening defined by the lower edge of the shell;

one end of the tube being stretched around, to encircle the outerperiphery of the band and being fastened to the shell lower edge;

the tube being bent around the lower edge of the band and extending intothe inside of the shell to at least partially line the interior of theshell while also surrounding the band and securing the band to the shellby the elastic contraction of the tube material;

the tube and the band being otherwise substantially free of positivesecurement to the shell, so that the band may be removed by pulling thetube out of the shell for freeing the band, wherein the band may bereplaced by a band of different thickness for properly sizing the shellto the head of the wearer.

2. A construction as defined in claim 1, and said shell having its loweredge formed by an outwardly extended integral flange, and the tubeencircling the flange and being fastened to the upper exposed surfacethereof.

3. A construction as defined in claim 2, and including a substantiallyrigid, hard outer shell arranged over, completely containing, and spacedfrom said above mentioned shell, which thereby forms an inner shell,with the lower edge of the inner shell terminating above the lower edgeof the outer shell;

the portion of the said tube encircling the outer peripher of the bandbeing in face to face contact with the inner surface of the outer shell;

said band being characterized by tending to expand radially outwardly tothereby provide a constant radially outwardly directed force against theouter shell for frictually securing the inner shell to the outer shell.

4. A construction as defined in claim 3, and a radially inwardlyextending shoulder formed on the lower edge of the outer shell, the bandbeing compressed slightly between the shoulder and said flange foradditionally holding the band and inner shell within the outer shell.

5. A construction as defined in claim 1, and said band being formed oftwo strips, secured together in face to face contact, with the outer ofthe two strips being formed of a relatively firm material and the innerof the two strips being considerably more resilient and soft than theouter strip for adjusting to size and contours of the wearers head, andthe outer strip having a tendency to radially expand in diameter tothereby constantly apply a radially outwardly directed force upon thetube portion encircling it for holding the band against movementrelative to the tube.

, 6. A construction as defined in claim 5, and said shell having itslower edge formed by an outwardly extending integral flange, with thetube encircling the flange and fastened to the outer surface of theshell; and the inner of the two strips being taller than the outerstrip; the upper face of the outer strip being in face to face contactwith the under surface of the flange and the portion of the inner stripwhich is above the outer strip being pressed against the interiorsurface of the shell above the flange.

7. A construction as defined in claim 5, and the opposite free ends ofthe band being normally arranged adjacent to and in contact with, butfree of positive securement to each other, so that the outer stripresiliently tends to straighten out to thereby provide said radiallyoutwardly directed force.

8. A construction as defined in claim 1, and said tube portion withinthe shell extending upwardly to near the crown of the shell and tendingto closely conform to the inner surface of the shell; and a crown padsecured within the shell at the crown thereof and overlying the freeedge of the open end of the tube portion within the shell, toslalnfiwich such free edge between the crown pad and the s e ReferencesCited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,994,090 8/1961 Ostwald 2-183 XR 3,015,1031/ 1962 Zbikowski 2-3 3,146,462 9/1964 Militello 2-3 3,396,408 8/1968Enger 2-183 JAMES BOLER, Primary Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 2-183

